Development and Characterization of Sustainable Coatings on Surgical Sutures for Wound Healing Application

Abstract

This research, focused on developing a coating on biodegradable polymer sutures to improve their antibacterial and wound healing properties. The coating consisted of curcumin, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO), and polyethylene glycol (PEG) with varying curcumin concentrations of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%. The synthesis of the coating was determined via various characterization techniques: Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD). The antibacterial efficacy of the coated sutures was evaluated against Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Klebseilla pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae), and Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium), with the 20% curcumin composite demonstrating the largest zones of inhibition. Hemolysis testing indicated that the 20% curcumin composite exhibited the highest hemolysis percentage at 1%, which is within the acceptable range for biomedical applications. Mechanical testing revealed an enhancement in the breaking force of the coated sutures, increasing from 22N for uncoated sutures to 26N for the coated ones. Drug release studies indicated an initial burst release within the first 24 hours, followed by a sustained release over time. In addition, in vitro cytocompatibility tests were performed to confirm the biocompatibility of the treated sutures. The assays included determination of cell viability, proliferation. These findings suggest that the 20% curcumin-ZnO NPs-PEG composite coating significantly enhances the antimicrobial properties, mechanical strength, and drug release profile of surgical sutures, making them a promising candidate for preventing surgical site infections. . In addition, in vivo experiments demonstrated accelerated wound healing in intestinal anastomosis models followed by histology with H&E staining, implies improved tissue remodeling and decreased inflammation. 20% Curcumin/ZnO NPs/PEG composite coating had best antibacterial effect, biocompatibility and wound healing efficacy, which potentially can set as a future suture for decreasing SSIs and for intestinal anastomotic healing.